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The reason I’m making this blog is because I feel strongly about the critically endangered animals that we could lose in our lifetime, the fact that the next generation might miss out on seeing or knowing about some of these species is worrying, like my generation did for the Javan Tiger. My aim is to raise awareness of this issue by focusing on a number of animals on the endangered species list. It is my hope that gaining public attention through my work, will inspire positive steps towards combating this ongoing problem.

Javan Rhinoceros

The Javan rhino is possibly the rarest mammal on the planet with only around 60 left. Once numerous throughout southeast Asia it is now isolated in two small protected areas in Vietnam and Indonesia. Their small population makes them extremely vulnerable to any threat.

What are the main threats Javan rhinoceros?

Vulnerable to just about any major impact

Only two small populations of Javan rhino remain. This makes the species extremely vulnerable to extinction due to natural catastrophes, diseases, poaching, political disturbances, and genetic drift. The biology of the species is poorly understood, with techniques for accurately estimating their numbers not fully developed.

Reduced genetic diversity

The small size of Javan rhino populations, especially that in Cat Tien National Park where no more than 8 remain, is in itself a cause for concern. Low genetic diversity in these populations could lower their ability to survive natural disasters or diseases. As a result, natural catastrophes such as volcano eruptions or earthquakes, diseases, and genetic drift remain the main threats to the species.

Habitat loss and degradation

Another threat to the Javan rhino is the increased demand for land caused by rising human populations. Clearance of forests for agriculture and commercial logging are occurring in and around the two protected areas where these animals occur.

Studies on habitat improvement to increase the rhinos' natural food supply are underway. In the coming years, WWF and its partners will look at the possibility of translocating rhinos from Ujung Kulon National Park in Indonesia to establish a new population in other suitable habitat, security permitting.

http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/rhinoceros/asian_rhinos/javan_rhinoceros/Javan Rhinoceros
Listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List (2009), the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) is considered to be one of the most endangered large mammals in the world with only two populations existing in the wild, for a total number of less than 60 animals. Highly prized as a commodity in traditional Asian medicine, Javan rhinos have also been brought to the verge of extinction by the conversion of forest habitat to farmland. WWF has been involved in protection and conservation of the Javan rhino since 1998, supporting forest rangers to undertake increased patrolling and protection activities, conducting surveys of the rhino population, raising awareness of the importance of the rhinos to local communities, and supporting park management. Last month, highly trained sniffer dogs were used to search for traces of the extremely rare and endangered Vietnamese Javan Rhinoceros, of which no more than a dozen are thought to exist. These samples will be analysed to better understand the gender mix and whether this small population has a chance of survival.

The Javan Rhino is one of the worlds rare animals with a population believed to be around 60, and these are split into two populations in the wild. Reasons that they are critically endangered is because of extensive cultivation for their natural habitat, now used for farmland. Also that they are a prize commodity for Asian medicine like Tigers. The WWF have cameras set up in their natural environment to try and understand more about their habits, please see the link above.